23 73 6 O/B Base Station

ShaneT

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Jul 24, 2014
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yer I don't know what's going on. He has emailed jayco again (Friday just gone) to see what happened. He said they did run out of Boston and were using something similar instead but he is unsure why we ended up with bamboo. Did get some other info from him though 2802kg empty 3452kg loaded. I have a 2012 bt50 which is only good for 3350kg tow, so after doing some reading I'm not sure if I should get a new I'd plate with 3350kg or not.
 
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M Cressey

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Mar 9, 2014
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Hi Shane, personally I wouldn't get the plate changed because you may get a truck that can take that load. My understanding is that as long as your actual tow weight is within your vechials tow limit you are ok but that is in New Zealand you may want to get some advice for Australia
 

macca

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Mar 20, 2012
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He has emailed jayco again (Friday just gone) to see what happened. He said they did run out of Boston and were using something similar instead but he is unsure why we ended up with bamboo. Did get some other info from him though 2802kg empty 3452kg loaded. I have a 2012 bt50 which is only good for 3350kg tow, so after doing some reading I'm not sure if I should get a new I'd plate with 3350kg or not.
You would think they would just ring them! Its in the same area code!

I have the same BT50. I thought you had to also include weight of passengers and what's in the Ute. I could be wrong, that's how I thought it worked. I was at Page Bros yesterday picking up parts (weekly occurance) so on the way in I had a look at some Basestations as they have a few out the front. I like them, shame better half does not.
 
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davemc

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I would check with your insurance company, read elsewhere they would default to what was on the plate if you had a accident. If the van rolled and everything was over the road no way they can weight it so they use the plate..
We have been looking around at cars and our van is 55kgs more then one.
 

achjimmy

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Jan 24, 2011
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I would check with your insurance company, read elsewhere they would default to what was on the plate if you had a accident. If the van rolled and everything was over the road no way they can weight it so they use the plate..
We have been looking around at cars and our van is 55kgs more then one.

And if they can't tell what speed you were doing do they assume it was 270km because that's what the speedo can read too?

This has been confirmed by a member who went to SA transport. Keep under your vehicles tow capacity and your good to go. If it's really only a few kilos then by you may as well request a downgrade from Jayco.
 
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davemc

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And if they can't tell what speed you were doing do they assume it was 270km because that's what the speedo can read too?

This has been confirmed by a member who went to SA transport. Keep under your vehicles tow capacity and your good to go. If it's really only a few kilos then by you may as well request a downgrade from Jayco.
We are talking insurance companies here where any excuse to get out of paying is a good one. If you can get a second plate I would get one.
Then if you swap to a tug that does 3500 swap back.
 

achjimmy

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We are talking insurance companies here where any excuse to get out of paying is a good one. If you can get a second plate I would get one.
Then if you swap to a tug that does 3500 swap back.


I have only heard of one case where they gave the guy a second plate. I think it was a screw up. When they changed mine they were anal about getting the old one first.

Yep insurance companies are business's and look to the bottom line. There pds s are pretty clear today. Iam sure if they CAN PROVE that your actions resulted in the cause of the accident they will look to minimize the claim.
 
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ShaneT

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I will ring my insurance company tomorrow, my thinking is innocent until proven guilty, so if you crash and they cant prove you were overloaded, speeding or drunk you get away with it right or wrong. Macca I'm not sure on the gcvm but will have a look.
 

ShaneT

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quick question the water in your tanks, gas cylinders is that included in your base weight?
 

Crusty181

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yer I don't know what's going on. He has emailed jayco again (Friday just gone) to see what happened. He said they did run out of Boston and were using something similar instead but he is unsure why we ended up with bamboo. Did get some other info from him though 2802kg empty 3452kg loaded. I have a 2012 bt50 which is only good for 3350kg tow, so after doing some reading I'm not sure if I should get a new I'd plate with 3350kg or not.
Hi Shane. Your weight limits are the rated capacities. Ie your cars gvm of 3200kg and vans atm 3452kg regardless of what is, or isnt loaded into each of the car or van. Your combo gives you a gcm (gross combined mass) of 6652kg. Your car is rated at max gcm 5950kg.

Your way over you limit, even empty. Much like a car licence limit is 4500kg gvm ..... you cant drive an empty 8000kg truck that weighs 4500kg empty .... its all about the maximums. Road safety legislation is national now in terms of effect, and its an absolute offence ..... unlike almost all other law, no intent is needed to be proven. (Easier for govenment use motorists as a simply and convenient form of income without the usual levels of proof). Not so innocent till proven guilty with road safety.

Hate to see anyone take an un-necessary risk to either your wellbeing or your wallet.
 
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ShaneT

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right I worked it out, with a gcvm of 5950kg. If I tow 3350kg it leaves me with 2600kg for the loaded bt. The bt weigh's 2.1 which gives me 500kg for a load. So take out 200kg ball weight(which comes off the tow weight and added to the bts weight), roobar, canopy fuel and me misses and 2 kids leaves me with about 100kg. Will be heading to a weigh bridge for real figures that's for sure.
 

Crusty181

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right I worked it out, with a gcvm of 5950kg. If I tow 3350kg it leaves me with 2600kg for the loaded bt. The bt weigh's 2.1 which gives me 500kg for a load. So take out 200kg ball weight(which comes off the tow weight and added to the bts weight), roobar, canopy fuel and me misses and 2 kids leaves me with about 100kg. Will be heading to a weigh bridge for real figures that's for sure.
The vans atm exceeds your cars gvm capacity, so you cant legally tow it. The car and van combo also exceed you cars gcm. Your unfortunately in a very shitty position. The cars gvm and gcm are mutually exclusive and independant of each other, but both rely on the rated maximums. Even with a another car with a 3500kg tow capacity, youll find the gcm is still likely to be 6000kg max, and you will still exceed the gcm. Its negligent, deceitful immoral and borderline illegal for van dealers to withhold this info when selling the heavier vans
 
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ShaneT

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that doesn't work the bt50s gvm is 3200kg, a tow of 3350kg and gcvm of 5950kg going by your theory Mazda is out by 600kg. So you must be able to give and take between the 2 to get your gcvm?
 

Crusty181

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The vans atm at 3452kg exceeds your cars tow capacity of 3350kg by 102kg, therefor its illegal.

Its not really a theory. Your cars gvm is 3200kg. That includes tow ball weight, all passengers, tank of fuel and its 2100kg kerb weight ... plus whatever extra you load into the car upto its 3200kg gvm. My point is if you loaded up the van and car to their individual maximums; combined they exceed your gcm. And yes your correct. Mazda, like Nissan, Toyota, Ford, and all the others dont add up, nor tell you these facts. You can easily search and confirm these figures. If you have a vans with an atm right on your utes legal tow capacity, and load your ute to its legal carrying capacity ..... put them together and they are illegal. Thats a fact. They do it, i dont. Just trying to help

More importantly your vans atm exceeds your cars rated tow capacity.

Dont shoot the messenger. Your putting a huge weight on your car, i just understand this because my combo required me to get it right to, and i just want you to have as much of the facts as you can. Ultimately youll make the choices.
 
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ShaneT

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yep I get you now so my first calculations are correct then, working on the full tow limit of 3350 that leaves me with 2600 for the ute. Take 2100 for the ute leaves me with 500kg.
 
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Crusty181

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All the weight considerations that apply to cars, vans, trailers and combinations of them are a damn minefield. Our initial wish list van would have put our combo within 10 kg of legal. I recently turned over my work ute / tow vehicle so that wasn't getting replaced; we had to compromised on the van and we now have a 200kg buffer. I read a post here that one of the forum'ittes was counting on a published van weight, but when it was delivered it was significantly heavier, such that it was outside his cars capacity .... either sell the van, or buy a new car. Ouch. Understandably very disappointing.
 
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skippy

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I know all about having to change tow vehicles too. I went from the 16 footer Expanda and then wanted a full height van and had to make a big decision to sell the 5 year old Pajero that didn't miss a beat so I could be legal when towing the new 20 footer.

I feel more comfortable knowing that if something goes wrong and the worse happens, I won't be sitting next to Bubba in a cell block because my neglect to be legal.:frusty:

I know that when I also made enquires to the transport dept over here @ShaneT they informed me that the first thing they check if you have a crash with a van is the compliance plate of the van doesn't exceed the car towing it.
After I heard that from the crash investigator that was enough for me so I ended up grading the tow vehicle.

:eek-53:Also Shane that's one hell of a nice looking shack on wheels too and I am sure you will have plenty of great camp outs with that monster:eagerness:
 

Crusty181

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@ShaneT, I just noticed your profession .... Im planning a big trip which will including remote areas. Im looking add filtration to the diesel system like the Diesel Care type filter .... whats your thoughts on that. Oddly, my old HJ47 had water separator and inline filters, now my car is worth 10 times that, is less tolerant and has not much